Topless children brave the wintry weather in a military-style training session in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Feb 1, 2016. [Photo by Sun Lingke, Shi Yongxiang and Tang Shihua/Asianewsphoto]

Chinese children are often portrayed as spoiled little brats raised by over-protective parents, but some of them are trying to rectify their image, in a controversial way.

Fourteen children, from 12-year-old teenagers to three-year-old toddlers, braved the freezing winter by going topless on Monday in a military-style work-out session, aiming to build up their strength.

Topless children brave the wintry weather in a military-style training session in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Feb 1, 2016. [Photo by Sun Lingke, Shi Yongxiang and Tang Shihua/Asianewsphoto]

Sporting camouflage trousers as their uniform, the group was asked to rub their bodies with snow in the nine-minute intensive training after an hour-long warm-up.

The temperature was hovering around the zero after the snow in Nanjing, capital city of East China's Jiangsu province.

Topless children brave the wintry weather in a military-style training session in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Feb 1, 2016. [Photo by Sun Lingke, Shi Yongxiang and Tang Shihua/Asianewsphoto]

It was to no one's surprise when it was revealed that the session was organized by He Liesheng, an entrepreneur whose extreme parenting skills earned him the nickname "Eagle Dad", similar to the famous Chinese American "Tiger Mom" Amy Chua.

It seems that exposing children to the winter chill is this father's favorite technique to toughen up the next generation. Four years ago, Mr He became the center of massive online controversy after he thrust his barely-clad son, then 4, to run against the freezing February weather in New York City.

Topless children brave the wintry weather in a military-style training session in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Feb 1, 2016. [Photo by Sun Lingke, Shi Yongxiang and Tang Shihua/Asianewsphoto]

 

The training session in Nanjing also touched a nerve in China. Some people linked it to news reports that Japanese children, dressed in summer tops and shorts, defy cold weather effortlessly both on daily trips to school and for winter sports. They went on to argue on Weibo that, by following the Japanese, Chinese students can learn to be stronger, both mentally and physically.

Opponents of such techniques express concerns about children's health. Winter is cold season, with many children coming down with influenza. Instead of being exposed to the cold, they argue, children should keep themselves warm.

Topless children brave the wintry weather in a military-style training session in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Feb 1, 2016. [Photo by Sun Lingke, Shi Yongxiang and Tang Shihua/Asianewsphoto]     Topless children brave the wintry weather in a military-style training session in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Feb 1, 2016. [Photo by Sun Lingke, Shi Yongxiang and Tang Shihua/Asianewsphoto]     Topless children brave the wintry weather in a military-style training session in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Feb 1, 2016. [Photo by Sun Lingke, Shi Yongxiang and Tang Shihua/Asianewsphoto]

(chinadaily.com.cn)